Artificial flower



Aug. 25, 1964 H. G. STEIN ARTIFICIAL FLOWER Filed Sept. 6, 1961 INVENTOR. HELEN G. STEIN BYM/M ATTORNEY United States Patent F 3,146,153 ARTIFICIAL FLOWER Helen G. Stein, 242 Main St., Leorninster, Mass. Filed Sept. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 136,366 Claims. (Cl. 16130) This invention relates generally to the production of artificial flowers. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved, efficient method of making particularly outstanding arificial flowers and the flowers made thereby.

Artificial flowers are well known in industry. Such flowers are employed as decorative ornaments in a variety of fields. For example, artificial flowers are employed to decorate hats, dresses, pillows, bedspreads, etc. The prior art is well established and has resorted to various methods of producing artificial flowers.

Most methods employ artificial petals which are individually attached to a central member to form a flower. These methods are time consuming and require a high degree of artistic skill to produce desirable products. Other methods employ means of attaching petals together in a string or row, and subsequently winding said string around a central member to form a flow. However, to my knowl edge, these methods have not produced desirable, realistic artificial flowers. In most cases, the petals are sewn together along a straight line and spiral winding of such an arrangement results in a distinctly artificial appearing flower.

Thus, although artificial flowers have been used in industry for many years, the art has recognized a need for artificial flowers which may be produced economically, with a minimum of skill and which are highly realistic and artistically pleasing.

I have now found a particularly advantageous method of making artificial flowers which are highly realistic and artistically pleasing. Basically, I employ. petal members which are sewn together and gathered or pleated to form a curved string which can easily be substantially spirally wound and aflixed at its end thus producing a flower. The method of my invention is particularly desirable in that the advantageous flowers can be made quickly, efliciently and with a minimum of artistic skill. These flowers can easily be formed by mass production methods.

A full understanding of this invention will be had by referring to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative and not to be considered as limiting of my invention. In the drawings, like numerals indicate like elements.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a step in the method of making a preferred petal member.

FIGURE 1a illustrates the completed petal member of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 shows a group of petal members attached together in a curved string.

FIGURE 3 shows a method of winding a string of petal members.

FIGURE 4 is an oblique view of a completed artificial flower.

The petal members 12 of this invention are preferably formed of a textile material such as satin, polished cotton, silk, etc. Preferably, as shown in FIGURE 1, two sheets of material are placed in overlying relationship and attached substantially adjacent their peripheries 13 to form a pocket having an unattached side 14. Attachment means 15 is preferably a line of sewing; however, it is obvious that stapling, adhesive or other means may be employed. It is possible to attach the two sheets together first and then cut the outer edges of the petals in a second step, if desired. The petal members so formed are then inverted or turned right side out to hide the raw edge of material 13 as shown in FIGURE 2. When employing 3,146,153 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 textile material, I have found that it is preferred to cut the petal members on a bias so as to enhance the suppleness and appearance thereof. The particular shape of the petal members may vary greatly depending on the particular flower desired. For example, the outer edge 13 and line of attachment 15 may be substantially circular, heart shaped, pointed, etc. Similarly, the color of the sheets employed may be varied to create the desired artistic effeet. In some cases, the two sheets employed may each be of different colors or textures.

It is also possible to employ a single petal shaped sheet of material, or to use plastic films and other materials in my invention for the petal members. However, such expedients do not produce artificial flowers having fullness and the most desirable artistic appearance as the petals made as above described.

Perhaps the most critical step in my invention involves the method of attaching the petal members together. The petal members 12 are individually overlapped with one another for approximately one quarter of their width as shown at 22 and sewn together in a string or row as shown at FIGURE 2. The particular amount of overlap may vary depending on the final efiect desired. Pleats or gatherings such as 23 are formed partially across the length of each petal. This may be accomplished by pleating or gathering the petals during sewing or by sewing the petals flat and gathering by pulling the threads 21 after the petals have been attached. When employing a sewing machine, the petals are individually overlapped and pleated as they are fed under the needle. This step results in the formation of a curved or arcuately arranged string of petal members, the inner edges 24 of which are arcuate and may together substantially form a circular or helical configuration. The particular number of petal members employed in the string vary according to the size and shape of each petal member, and the size of the final desired flower. Generally, I prefer to employ at least 4 petal members in the curved string.

In some instances it is desirable to employ gradually increasing sizes of petal members or groups of petal members around the string from point 25 to point 26. Thus, when the string is wound, the smaller petal members are on the inside of the flower and the flower appears more realistic than would be the case if equal sized petals were employed.

As a result of the curved configuration of the string of petal members, it is possible to substantially spirally wind the petal members in a simple efficient operation to form the desirable flowers of this invention.

FIGURE 3 shows the spiral winding of a string of petal members of this invention. The end 25 of the string is attached or held to a stem 30 at a point 31 and the string is then substantially spirally wound around the stem. The end 26 of the string is then aflixed to the underlying layer of petal members or to the stem 30. Preferably several stitches may be employed to alfix end 26 and to bind the entire edge 21 to the stem 30. If desired, adhesive, stapling or other means may be employed to attach the string of petal members.

The particular stem means may vary. I prefer to employ a standard stiff rope material having a fabric covering thereon. Preferably the rope extends past the base of flower 32 and into the top portion thereof and acts as an artificial stamen 40. Alternately, no stern member need be employed in my invention, i.e., the string of petal members may be spirally wound and affixed upon itself.

A preferred completed flower of this invention is shown at FIGURE 4. In this embodiment the flower 42 has a strip of material 41 or simulated calyx stitched over the base 32 to hide the unfinished appearance thereof.

In a particular embodiment of this invention an artificial rose is formed by employing a red satin material for the petal members. Thirteen petal members are formed as shown in FIGURES 1 and In. Three of the petal members have a width along line 14 of two inches and a height of one and a half inches, three petals have a width of two and a half inches and a height of two inches, and the remaining petals have a width of three inches and a height of two and a half inches. The petal members are sewn together with an overlap of approximately one-quarter of an inch into an arcuate pleated string as shown in FIGURE 2 with the smaller petal members at end 25, and the largest petal members at end 26. The string is then held at its end 25 adjacent a one-quarter inch diameter green fabric covered clothesline rope eight inches long approximately one-half inch from the end of the rope. The string of petal members is then spirally wound around the rope and stitched to the rope. A green satin strip is stitched over the base of the petal members. An artificial rose as shown at 42 is thereby formed.

The flowers of this invention represent a distinct advance in the art. Due to the fact that a curved string of pleated or gathered petal members is employed, realistic and artistically satisfying flowers may be formed by inexperienced workers. Once the basic colors, dimensions and materials have been decided upon, if the method of this invention is followed advantageous flowers neces sarily result.

While I have described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be understood that these embodiments are by way of description only. Those skilled in the art may make numerous modifications of the described invention without departing from the scope thereof which is to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of producing an artificial flower comprising attaching a plurality of petal members together by sewing the edges thereof in overlapped and gathered positions and forming a substantially curved string of petal members substantially spirally winding said curved string of petal members, and aflixing said substantially spirally wound string of petal members so as to form a properly proportioned artificial flower.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said petal members are formed of bias cut fabric and said string of petal members is spirally wound about and affixed to a centrally located artificial stamen.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said petal members are sewn together and later gathered to form said substantially arcuate string of petal members.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said petal members are sewn together and simultaneously pleated to form said substantially curved string of petal members as a pleated arcuate string of petal members curved in a plane and said arcuate string is wound into a properly proportioned artificial flower having portions thereof lying outside of said plane.

5. The artificial flower produced by the method of claim 1.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 815,005 Case Mar. 13, 1906 921,245 Haskins May 11, 1909 2,566,950 Miller et al. Sept. 4, 1951 

1.A METHOD OF PRODUCING AN ARTICIFIAL FLOWER COMPRISING ATTACHING A PLURALITY OF PETAL MEMBERS TOGETHER BY SEWING THE EDGES THEREOF IN OVERLAPPED AND GATHERED POSITIONS AND FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY CURVED STRING OF PETAL MEMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY SPIRALLY WINDING SAID CURVED STRING OF PETAL MEMBERS, AND AFFIXING SAID SUBSTANTIALLY SPIRALLY WOUND STRING OF PETAL MEMBERS SO AS TO FORM A PROPERLY PROPORTIONED ARTIFICIAL FLOWER. 